Vo 1. 16, No. 4 
Page 2 
was attained during September 15-28 (2.74 squirrels harvested per hunter trip), but 
hunter success was almost as high during the first 2 weeks of the season ( 2.70 
squirrels killed per trip). In contrast, hunter success during the first 2 weeks 
of the season in the Southern Zone was low (2.42 squirrels killed per trip) but 
increased sharply during the last half of August, when squirrels begin "cutting" 
seed crops. 
Our sample of 59 cooperating avid squirrel hunters in the Northern Conservation 
Zone went squirrel hunting a total of 469 times during the hunting season of 1972. 
This number of hunter trips represents approximately 1,215 man-hours of recreation. 
Hunting pressure was highest during the first 2 weeks of the open season (September 
l-l4), when our cooperators made I 90 squirrel hunting trips. This total represents 
40.5 percent of the total number of hunting trips for the entire 10 -week season. 
In contrast, our cooperators in the Southern Zone made only 27-3 percent of their 
total number of squirrel hunting trips (for the entire season) during the first 
2 weeks (August 1-14) of their 14-week hunting season. During the second 2 weeks 
of the season, hunting pressure among our cooperators in the Northern Zone dropped 
by nearly one-half, to 102 squirrel hunting trips ( 21.7 percent of total trips). 
Our cooperators in the Southern Zone made nearly as many trips during the second 
2 weeks of their season (August 15-28) as they had made during the first 2 weeks. 
Hunting pressure in the Northern Zone declined slowly after September 28. 
Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation 
J. A. Ellis 
The posthunt census of 
during early February 1973* 
the posthunt census occurred 
Dale Area, 14 coveys contain 
during the census in 1973 * 
posthunt estimate obtained i 
posthunt populations on the 
have ranged from 5*5 quai1/1 
quail was conducted on the Dale and Forbes areas 
Decause of the extended quail season in 1972-73, 
1 month later than In the previous years. On the 
ing 127 quail (11.6 quai1/100 acres) were recorded 
This posthunt estimate was 6 percent greater than the 
n 1972 and was the same as the long-term mean for the 
area. Estimates of the posthunt populations on Dale 
00 acres in 1966 to 18.1 quail/100 acres in 1963. 
On Forbes, 13 coveys containing I 36 birds ( 5.6 quail/100 acres) were flushed 
during the posthunt census in 1973* This estimate was 10 percent lower than the 
posthunt estimate for 1972 and 21 percent lower than the long-term mean for the 
posthunt populations. Posthunt population estimates on Forbes have ranged from 
2.4 to 9*9 quail/100 acres in l 966 and 19^9; respectively. On both areas the quail 
populations sustained the extended hunting season in 1972-73 in satisfactory numbers. 
Responses of Prai rie Chickens to Habi tat Manipulation R. L. V/estemeier, 
D. R. Vance 
As in the past 10 springs, booming ground surveys were conducted this spring 
(1973) on the Bogota Study Area at no less than weekly intervals from mid-March 
through mid-April. These data were supplemented by observations recorded almost 
daily by visitors in blinds on several booming grounds. Counts were made during 
the first 1.5 hours after daybreak, and an effort was made to determine the maximum 
number of cocks on the area. 
